Conventional suspension systems, such as for motor vehicles, typically provide a camber and a caster to the wheels of the motor vehicle. Camber is the setting of the wheels closer together at the bottom than at the top. Caster is the angle of the steering axis of a wheel from its vertical viewed from a lateral side of the vehicle, and usually is manifested by a slight, typically backwards, tilt of the upper end of a kingbolt for giving directional stability to the front wheels.
Conventional suspension systems typically enable the camber and caster of the wheels to be adjusted. These adjustments are often necessary due to the shocks and vibrations experienced by the motor vehicle, which may tend to cause the camber and caster of the wheels to change, thereby requiring realignment. Several types of suspension systems provide such adjustability. One such type of conventional suspension, such as that shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,367,826 entitled “Camber/Caster Adjuster,” includes an alignment adjuster for wheel alignment of a motor vehicle, in which the alignment adjuster includes a shaft that is moveable within an elongated slot. The adjustable member is a lower control arm that is attached via a bushing to the shaft. The shaft includes a pinion gear that contacts a rack element that is disposed near the elongated slot. Rotation of the shaft initiates lateral movement of the shaft in the elongated slot.
However, conventional camber and caster adjustment mechanisms do not provide sufficient precision with respect to adjustability. Furthermore, conventional camber and caster adjustment mechanisms do not provide sufficient ease of adjustment.
Therefore, there exists a need for an improved camber and caster adjustment mechanism for the suspension system of a motor vehicle.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved camber and caster adjustment mechanism for the suspension system of a motor vehicle.
It is another object of the present invention to improved the precision with which the camber and caster of the suspension system of a motor vehicle may be adjusted.
It is still another object of the present invention to increase the amount by which the camber and caster of the suspension system of a motor vehicle may be adjusted.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a camber and caster adjustment mechanism for the suspension system of a motor vehicle that is easier to adjust than conventional camber and caster adjustment mechanisms.